The Fault Of The Spider
by WitchChaser6
Summary: One shot! I am a huge Dramione fan! Rated T because of the use of one swear word- originally in the post I'd seen the spider was supposed to scare Hermione but Hermione wouldn't be afraid of a spider but I could imagine Draco. Apologise for the appalling writing, I literally whipped this up in an hour. Please comment and let me know your thoughts!


**One Shot: **

**The Fault of the Spider**

Sweltering under the summer sun, Hermione wished she had apparated closer to the Manor. After a day crammed inside the Ministry of Magic, despite her begrudging the June heat, she was happy to be outside. She would have to stop by her apartment on the way to work tomorrow morning. Amused, she chuckled to herself. Hermione openly admitted to herself she had forgotten what her tiny apartment looked like, with its shabby chic furniture crammed into three rooms. As she approached the menacing gates a chill ran down her spine.

Never had Hermione anticipated returning to this place, let alone be dating the current occupant of the Manor. Bellatrix Lestrange had carved into her arm the badge she now wore proudly. On their first night together, Draco had refused to sleep with her. They had laid awake all night completely immersed in knowing each other further. She had never known Draco as a sensitive person. He had talked about the magical creatures he had kept as pets, the poetry he had written as a teenager, how he had cried as a toddler because he had broken his first toy broom attempting to glide down the stairs in the entrance. Remembering all of those happy memories helped numb the horrors they had both experienced here.

It only took her a few minutes to walk to the front door. Magically it opened by itself. Tonight Whinney-Peg would be off duty. Since they had started dating, Draco had strictly supported Hermione in her S.P.E.W. campaign. It amused her the first time he had attempted to cook her spaghetti bolognese. The spark of happiness erupted. Beaming with a large grin, decisively Hermione wanted to find him and tell him how happ—

Suddenly, Hermione arched her eyebrows confused. Draco wasn't in his usual space in the library surrounded by half the books scattered open at various pages. Everything was neatly placed away. Something was not right. He had been working really hard of late. Hermione abandoned the first room she looked in. Checking her watch Hermione grumbled, "Where could you be?"

From room to room she searched. Each time the witch had half expected to see him hard at work in the far corner, hidden by a mountain of books. When she had explored the ground floor, she moaned heading up the flight of stairs.

"Get away from me!" a cold drawling voice screeched.

No reply.

Bewildered, Hermione withdrew her wand from the inner pocket of her robes. There had been many acts of retribution since the Second Wizarding War and she was not willing to take any chances. With his parents on the continent, Hermione held her breath, she was his only hope.

"I mean it!...Get away from me!" Draco's voice cracked at the top of his lungs.

From the half open door, Hermione could see nothing. Inside she could hear Draco's distress increase. His breathing rapid. Inhaling deeply, she counted in her head: _One. Two Thr—_

Throwing the old, oak door open, she charged without thinking. Wand drawn Hermione half dropped her wand in ever more confusion. Pale and gaunt Draco stood bolt upright. As if he had seen a phantom, Draco quivered. Cowering on top of the most expensive chair in the room, the Slytherin was speechless. Asphyxiating on an invisible opponent.

"What in Merlin's beard are you doing up there, Malfoy?" Hermione still kept her wand at midpoint, refusing to let her guard down.

"I live here, Granger! I can stand wherever I fucking want to!" he screamed at the top of his lungs. Once she was certain everything was alright, she had to smile at this insanity, half expecting him to go run and find his father to complain. That was something the boy had been very good at.

"Where is the spider?" Hermione teased girlishly amused at her boyfriend's awkwardness.

"_It's_ under the couch!" Draco jabbed his finger violently in the direction of the sofa on the other side of the room. Deliberately, he emphasised 'it' With a quizzical glance between the emerald dragonhide sofa back to the quivering finger. Hermione could not quite believe that Draco Malfoy was scared of spiders. Hiding her amusement, she would never tell Ron- "Why couldn't it be follow the butterflies?" They had more in common that they would ever admit, especially to her. She just laughed even harder. Chuckling, she double bent over, reaching for the oversized sideboard for support. "Granger!" he crowed at her.

"Wingardium Leviosa," Hermione cast the levitating spell. Sure as eggs were eggs, the smallest spider attempted to scuttle away from its safe hiding space. Instinctively she chanted, "Immobulus." The tiny creature froze immediately on the spot. Looking over to a still quivering Draco she could hardly contain herself. Bemused, she asked, "Should I kill it?"

Snatching up a book, Hermione feigned as if to drop it where the spider helplessly lay. "No!" Draco hissed bitterly at her, "Just put it outside!"

Laughing even harder she levitated the spider out of the window. Hermione grinned watching the spider scuttling away into the safety of the shrubbery. Attempting to compose her face Hermione turned to face Draco. "The evil spider is all gone!" she announced erupting into another fit of laughter going to him.

Firmly, he pulled her over the chair arm, "Well, Granger, aren't you my hero?"

Giggling, Hermione fell limply into his lap, sarcastically questioning his ability. The brunette witch asked, "What would you do without me?"

"Hmm," Draco held her playfully, "I don't know…do you?"

"Certainly not deal with spiders," she muttered, "How did you forget you were a wizard?! You have a wand for Merlin's sake!"

"It was huge!" Draco exaggerated with his hands the size of the spider.

"Seriously?!" Hermione cracked up laughing at the ex-school bully.

"You saw it," Draco stretched out his arms even further.

"If you say so," Hermione grinned at his boyishness.

Together they enveloped each other happy to be with each other. "Who'd have thought we would ever have been here? Together. Like this?" Draco whispered in her ear. The room was so much cooler than it was outside. Wrapped in each other, Draco asked her, "Do you want to move in?"

"I already spend all my free time here," Hermione stared around the tiny room. This was where they had known each other for the first time. The number of happy memories outweighed the bad.

Affectionately, Draco nibbled on her ear, "Might as well make it official then, hadn't we?"

"How romantic of you," Hermione rolled her eyes. This was real. This was them. This was the happy ever after written about in fairy stories they had both read as children. After the war they had found comfort in each other. They were worlds still apart, but perhaps that is why they worked. In a world filled with doubt perhaps the world needed a little more cheer. The world needed a little more love in it.

"I love you, Granger," Draco purred naturally to the woman who had captured his heart.

Happily, contented, Hermione felt his head rest on top of her. "Right back at you Malfoy," she added, "Always."

"Always," Draco agreed. The future may not have been clear. The past may have been blurred. But for now, both Draco and Hermione, knew that no matter what they would always have each other. No matter what they would be together.

THE END


End file.
